Financial Times: Diplomats hope to reach an agreement on the detainees after Israel eases its conditions
The Financial Times reported: The British newspaper, in its issue issued today, Tuesday, said that a glimmer of hope began to spread among diplomats concerned with the conflict in the Middle East between Israel and the Palestinian resistance factions, especially after Israel relaxed its conditions for concluding an agreement with the Hamas movement regarding a ceasefire and the exchange of detainees.
The newspaper reported – in the context of a report, published on its website in this regard – that the government of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accepted the latest proposal from regional and international mediators regarding stopping the aggression on the Gaza Strip, which increases the chances of reaching an agreement with Hamas.
She said that Israel has significantly softened its position on the terms of the detainee deal with Hamas, raising hopes for a breakthrough in diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the war in Gaza, as a diplomat familiar with the talks said – in an interview with the “Financial Times” – After weeks of stalemate, Israel accepted a proposal for an initial six-week cessation of fighting, during which Hamas would release 33 detainees, including children, the elderly, women, some female soldiers, and wounded prisoners.The diplomat – who spoke on condition of anonymity – added – That this will be followed by a second phase calling for “restoring sustainable calm,” a formulation proposed by the United States that made many mediators hope that this would lead to overcoming the main obstacle to reaching an agreement, which revolves around Hamas’s insistence on a permanent ceasefire in The end of any deal, which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government has repeatedly rejected.
Israel also made concessions on other Hamas demands, including allowing Gazans to return to the besieged northern Strip, in a development this diplomat described as “A very positive thing.”
For his part, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken said yesterday, Monday, that Hamas has before it “a very generous proposal from Israel.” He added – in his recent speech in Riyadh, where he met with Arab leaders – “At this moment, the only thing standing between the people of Gaza and a ceasefire is Hamas. They have to decide, and they have to decide quickly. I hope they make the right decision, and we can radically change the dynamic,” the White House said. “New progress” has been made. In negotiations regarding detainees.
Another source familiar with the Israeli government’s position said that it “showed flexibility in the talks, but stressed that it would not agree to end the war that has been going on for more than six months and that Israeli forces will remain in Gaza.” This person added: However, there may be room to find a creative framework for both issues to allow the detainee deal to move forward.
The United States, Qatar and Egypt are facilitating the talks, while the clear shift in Israel’s position comes at a time when the United States and other Western powers are pressing to reach a detainees’ deal and end the fighting… according to the newspaper. US President Joe Biden discussed developments in detainee talks with Netanyahu in a phone call the two parties made the day before yesterday, during which they urged “to make every effort to ensure the release of detainees held by Hamas, because it is now the only obstacle to an immediate ceasefire and relief for civilians in Gaza,” according to the statement. White House statement: Blinken is expected to travel to Israel this week.
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